Catapult



April 20 1926. 1,581,626

w. L. EARTH v Filed y 15. 19125 IJVVEJVTOR. WILLIAM L. BARTH ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 20, 1926.

UNITED STATES WILLIAM In EARTH, OF VENICE, CALIFORNIA.

I ATAPULT.

Application filed May 13, 125. Serial No. 30,035.

To all whom it may concern: Be it known that I, WILLIAM L. BARTL a citizen of the United States, and a resi- 'dent of Venice, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Catapults, of which the following is a specification. a

My invention relates to catapults for the projection of arrows and similar projectile, and the purpose of my invention is the provision of a catapult of this character capable of being manufactured at a reltaiv-ely low cost and embodying a rigid and durable supporting frame constructed of wire bent to provide a head having attaching rings or eyes to which the arrow impelling members are secured, a third ring or eye functions as a guiding and supporting member for the arrow, and a handle by which the head can be grasped and firmly held in one hand while placing the impelling members under tension with the other hand in the projection of the arrow, whereby the full impelling force of theimpelling members can be utilized and the accurate aiming and projecting of the arrow facilitated.

I will describe only one form of catapult embodying my invention and will then point out the novel features thereof in claims.

In the accompanying drawings- Figure 1 is a view showing in perspective one form of catapult embodying my invention illustrating the manner in which it is used for the projection of arrows.

Figure 2 is a view showing in side elevation and partly in section the supporting frame embodied in the catapult shown in Figure 1, the guiding spool of the device being shown in section.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the supporting frame shown in Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 4l4 of Figure 2.

Referring specifically to the drawings, in which similar reference characters refer to similar parts in each of the views, my invention in its present embodiment comprises a supporting frame constructed of relatively heavy wire, such wire in the pres ent instance being of a single length and bent to provide a head H of substantially triangular form, and a handle D of substantially U-forin depending from the head and adapted to be gripped in the hand of the operator in the manner illustratedv in F igure 1. In the formation of the frame, the

wire is bent medially of its ends to form the handle D, the side strips 15 of the handle slightly converging with respect to each other and having their ends extended to form two sides 16 of the triangular head H.

Beyond the side portion 16 the wire is looped upon itself at the two corners of the triangle to form rings or eyes'17, and beyond the loops, the wire is extended tangentially and toward each otherto form the other side 18 of the triangular head, such head constituting abridge. The ends of the portion 18' are bent upon themselves as clearlyshown in Figures 2 and 3 to form registering loops 1.9 which cooperate to provide an'eye or ring disposed centrally between the ring 17, and in Vertical alinement with the handle D.

In order'to permanently connect and secure the loops: 19 in registering"relation, a spool 20 is extended through the loops. This spool as clearly shown in'Figure 1 consists are shaped to prevent inward displacement of the sections so that the spool as a unit is firmly secured within the loops.

As clearly shown in Figure 1, impelling members 21 are attached to the rings or eyes 17, these impelling members in the present instance being elastic bands whichare looped about the rings so as to secure one of their ends to the rings, the opposite ends being permanently attached to the looped ends 22 of a cord 23.

In practice, the curved end of an arrow 24 receives the cord 23 in the manner shown in Figure 1., the arrow being extended through the guiding spool 20 so as to be centrally positioned between the ring 17. By grasping the handle D with one'hand, the supporting frame can be rigidly held, the other hand simultaneously gripping the cord and arrow, and by pulling rearwardly and placing the impelling members 21 under tension. By simultaneously releasing the cord and arrow, the members 21 function to impel or project the arrow forwardly through the guiding spool, the latter functioning to guide the arrow in its forward movement so that the l-atter. is caused to describe a strl igh't path.

Although I have herein shown and described only oneforin of catapult embody ing my invention, it is to be understood that various changes and modifications may be pair of end rings and a centrally disposed ring extending in liorizontal alinenient With the other ofsaid rings, and impelling members secured to the first two rings at their ends and connected to each other at the other end, the central ring being adapted to slide ably receii/ea projectile for the purpose-described. 3 Z W 2.-A catapult comprising a, supporting frame constructed from a single length of \vii e bent to provide a handle of U-forn one end the handle being extended to forina head of elongated form with the wire at the ends of the head being looped to form rings and the ends or the Wire being extended from the rings inwardly and looped to form a ring disposed in horizontal alinement with theother rings, and impelling members secured to the first rings and connected to each other for the projection of an arrow received in thesecond mentioned ring. i

A, catapult as embodied in claim 2 wherein a spool is secured Within the second mentionedring to'retain the looped ends of the wire in loop forming position.

- l. A catapult as embodied in claim 2 wherein a spool is secured within the second mentioned ring to retain the looped ends of the wire in loop iorining position, said spool being formed of sections inserted one within the'other and secured to each other.

p 5'. A catapult as embodied in claim 1 wherein a spool is secuied within the loop formed by bending the end portions of the \Vll'e.

frame formed of a single length of wire bent to provide a substantially triaiigulaf head and a handle depending from the head, the

wire del i'iiing the upper boundary of the headbei'ng looped to form a pair ofen'd rings and a centrally disposedring in hor'i-f zontal alineinent' withthe other rings, and

(3. A catapult 'c-oi'i'iprisiiig a supporting iinpelling members secured to the first rings and connected to each other for: the project on of an arrow rece ved in the centrally disposed ring.

7. A catapult as em odied in claims wherein a s'ectionalspoolis secured within the last mentioned ring to retain the ends of the wire in ring tormingposit on.

WILLIAM Li EARTH. 

